Almost a decade ago, an England side on the upswing were taking on South Africa at Port Elizabeth. A city full of wondrous coastlines and beaches. However, the cricket played between the two countries in that Test match didn't always make for great viewing.
Absolutely Brilliant de Villiers
Yet, in the midst of South African cricket being surrounded by murky waters due to political issues, there was one batsman who created enough ripples to make you feel in the years to come he could delight the crowd. That day, against the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Steven Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, AB de Villiers, a 20-year-old from Pretoria, didn't exactly play an innings full of spunk and sparkle. However, behind that odd cover-drive or the flick he essayed, you got an inkling his knock of 28 in his debut Test was just a tip of a staggering iceberg.
Since then, de Villiers has played knocks that makes you wonder whether he has changed the landscape of batsmanship itself. By now, he has a chest full of bedazzling diamonds and precious jewels in terms of match winning knocks. In fact, nowadays, when De Villiers is on song, behind every stroke he plays, there is a stamp of unparalleled brilliance and permanence attached to it.
In the just concluded ODI played against Australia at Harare Sports Club, that intoxicating beauty of de Villiers' batting touched compelling peaks. It was another of those knocks, where the Protea, with those rare virtues of god-gifted talent, unwavering discipline and fortitude, soared through wild blue yonder to snatch victory from a bewildered and bemused opposition.
Share | Tweet |